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               Our office will close at 5pm on Friday 20th December 2024 and will re-open at 9am on Monday 6th January 2025
During this period you will still be able to download free preview files and to purchase e-scripts, but we will not be able to supply any printed material, nor issue any quotations or any licences (including Script Copying Licences).

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Murder On Cue


US CUSTOMERS PLEASE NOTE : For legal reasons we cannot license productions of this play
under the title 'Murder On Cue' in the USA or its dependencies
as the words 'Murder On Cue' form a registered trademark in the USA.
There is no relationship between Stagescripts Ltd or Robin Jennifer Miller
and Kathy Reed Productions LLC, the owner of that trademark.
 
Customers wishing to perform this play in the USA or its dependencies should
please do so under the identical but alternatively titled 'Murder At Maple Lodge'.

"Combining an ingeniously crafted murder mystery with an uproariously funny comedy
and managing to be true to both genres...
...a beautifully written murder mystery with a comedy twist."
Penny Culliford (Remotegoat, April 2019)


Synopsis

Murder Mystery Play Script: 'Murder On Cue' by Robin Jennifer Miller'Murder On Cue' is a murder mystery set in Maple Lodge, a retirement home for actors, where gossip and old rivalries sustain the residents as much as the dry sherry and shepherd’s pie.  A fall of snow means the home is cut off from the outside world.  No-one can leave, including Gareth, the young solicitor who arrived that afternoon to re-do the will of his waspish Aunt Sybil.  Sue, the manager, and Judy, her assistant, discuss the problem that the home is under threat of closure and what to do about a spate of poison pen letters, that Sue means to get to the bottom of.  There are many rivalries between, and old grudges held by, the other residents: sensible Molly, camp Larry, ditzy Desiree, gentlemanly Charles and grande dame Olivia. It would appear that everyone has cause to dislike one of the residents, namely bitchy Sybil.

In an attempt to get to the bottom of the poison pen letters Sue gets the residents to read out the anonymous letters they have received – maybe that will winkle out the perpetrator.  This results in secrets being revealed, some more reluctantly than others.  There is also the mystery of the photo of a young man, where all claim to be unaware of his identity.  The residents retire to bed, except for Sybil.  The lights go out and Sybil, alone on stage, falls victim to an unseen killer.

After breakfast, still snowed in, the residents wonder how they’re going to pass the day.  A cupboard is opened and, to general shock, the body of Sybil is discovered.

With the residents in a state of shock, and with heavy snow outside there is no way the police can reach them.  Accusations fly, Sue tries to keep things calm and the resourceful Molly emerges as a born Miss Marple.  Some of the characters venture outside to clear the snow and fill the bird table, after which another body is discovered. It’s Gareth, the solicitor, frozen to death in the snow… an accident, suicide, or another murder?

Thanks to the detective work of the redoubtable Molly, the truth is revealed and the killer unmasked.  Various loose ends are tied up but the play ends on a surprising note with our residents deciding to employ their acting skills one last time in an effort to protect the identity of the killer from the police when they would eventually arrive. 

Duration

105 mins approx (exc interval)

Characters

Principals:  3m, 6f (of which 2m, 4f are in their 60's/70's/80's)

  The Staff

  • Sue 40's, manager of Maple Lodge, sensible
  • Judy30's, Sue's assistant, good-natured

  The Visitor

  • Gareth30's/40's, a solicitor, nephew to Sybil, smooth, sly

  The Residents

  • Molly - intelligent, calm, resourceful
  • Sybil - rude, haughty
  • Desiree - flighty, ditzy
  • Olivia - steely, grand
  • Charles - decent, upright
  • Larry - camp, queeny


Please Note : For legal reasons we cannot license productions of this play under the title 'Murder On Cue' 
in the USA or its dependencies as the words 'Murder On Cue' form a registered trademark in the USA.
There is no relationship between Stagescripts Ltd or Robin Jennifer Miller,
and Kathy Reed Productions LLC, the owner of that trademark.
 
Customers wishing to perform this play in the USA or its dependencies should
please do so under the identical but alternatively titled 'Murder At Maple Lodge'.

  • Printed Script (Murder On Cue)
    £7.99 Printed Script (Murder On Cue)
    A printed script provided as an A5 paperback acting edition. You are licensed to use this for your personal use. If you want to make multiple copies for use at rehearsals, a Script Copying Licence is required in addition...
  • Preview E-Script (Murder On Cue)
    £0.00 Preview E-Script (Murder On Cue)
    A free preview script containing a significant part of the full script and provided as a pdf file sized for A4 paper.
  • Play Reading Set
    £0.00 Play Reading Set
    For UK customers only, a set of printed scripts to borrow for 4-6 weeks to use at a play reading.  The set will be lent to you at no charge (other than the return postage costs) to assist in the decision-making...
  • E-Script (Murder On Cue)
    £3.25 E-Script (Murder On Cue)
    The full script provided as a pdf file for A4 size paper. You have a maximum of three attempts to download the file within a period of 30 days after the order date. You are licensed to print this once for your personal use...
  • Script Copying Licence
    £0.00 Script Copying Licence
    If you've bought an e-script or a printed script, this licence permits you to make copies of it for rehearsal use. The price will be shown after you select the title required. PLEASE NOTE: The licence will be e-mailed to...
  • Royalty Quotation Form (FL)
    Royalty Quotation Form (FL)
    The rights to perform and record for all the titles in our catalogue are managed by Stagescripts Ltd. You should not assume that a licence to perform will always be granted. Please request a quotation at the earliest...